What an adventure!
This holiday combines two iconic destinations into one trip. It’s a busy, fast-paced itinerary, full of stimulation and excitement so be prepared!
In Peru, as well as enjoying Cusco, you’ll visit incredible ruins nearby and in the Sacred Valley and learn so much about the Incas and how they conquered, and then retained control of, vast swathes of South America. Holger’s in-depth knowledge of all things Inca helped us to piece together this information into a coherent whole so that we had a real insight into the civilisation. You’ll also have the opportunity (for no additional cost) to complete the One Day Inca Trail. Machu Picchu does not disappoint and, as well as being technologically fascinating, is absolutely stunning.
In the Galapagos, you’ll island hop your way to San Cristobal, Floreana, Isabela, Santa Cruz, Isla Lobos, Bartolome and Las Tintoreras, seeing every kind of wildlife imaginable. The animals really are everywhere, in large numbers and just don’t mind you being nearby. It’s a hiking, snorkelling and photographic extravaganza (and Richard will share all his videos and photos)!
Cuzco
Adventure Holidays to Cuzco
Cuzco, known to the Incas as the navel of the universe, was the centre of the Inca empire. It is believed to be the oldest inhabited city in the western hemisphere. Situated at 3,480m in the Andes, it remains a city of unique beauty and fascination, its architecture deriving half from the Incas, who made it their capital, and half from the Spanish conquistadores who built their own capital on the massive stone foundations of the Incas. About 30 miles from Cuzco is the Sacred Valley of the Incas. A fertile slash of green in the centre of the inhospitable Andes, it’s a place of extraordinary peace and beauty. Guarded at its two ends by the fortresses of Pisac and Ollantaytambo, it was the Incas’ granary, feeding both Cuzco and the Machu Picchu.
Cuzco Adventure Holidays
Julie Dent Machu Picchu & Galapagos
Michael Sissons Essential PeruThis was an excellent and varied trip which gave a real sense of Peru’s culture and history, and of its sheer scale. I take a lot of photographs, and what struck me most throughout was the feeling of space. The landscapes are immense and it’s one of those places you really have to visit to properly comprehend.
The itinerary really is full on, and it can feel demanding at times, but I came away feeling I had seen a great deal of the country rather than simply ticking off a few famous sites. We were fortunate with the weather throughout the trip, particularly in the mountains where visibility and light were often exceptional.
Food was generally good, though naturally variable over such a long trip. Traditional Andean food is hearty and quite rustic in character, but Peru also has international influences, particularly Italian, and some of the pasta dishes were unexpectedly very good and seemed to be freshly made.
Ben Colbridge The Inca TrailI’ve wanted to do this trip for over 20 years and it exceeded all my expectations. I did this trip with my 16 year old son in the long summer break after his GCSEs and it was the most perfect father-son time we’ve ever shared. The views are incredible, the air as clean as it comes and the team were just outstanding. Our guide, Wilmer, led the group expertly despite different walking speeds, and the porters were just humbling. This trip ticked every single one of my boxes and we look back on it with both the sense of achievement and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
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